big diamond ring

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cestan
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big diamond ring

Post by cestan »

many years ago i gave my wife a diamond engagement ring. at the time it was all i could afford. now we are coming up on our big anniversary next year and while she is okay with the first ring i know she would like a bigger diamond ring and i want to get it for her. she deserves it. with a lot of luck and the help of God we are in a good financial position and can afford it. i am looking in the 10000 to 20000$ price range. any suggestions how to do this on line and with who. i have never had luck at zales or jarrods or any brick and morter store. they just confuse me and i walk out. since this is a significant amount of money, i am not sure who to trust on line. thanks for all your help.
babadi
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by babadi »

Stay out of the traditional mall-style jewelry stores unless you're looking to get totally screwed.

I had good luck a few years ago with PriceScope.com, which is basically a diamond search engine that takes your parameters and shows you a list of stones available at different vendors. I ended up buying from one of their dealers who's located in the diamond district here in NYC. I brought it to an out-of-town appraiser, who said I got a "damn good price." They did the setting for me and it was quite reasonable.

In terms of specific online vendors, I've heard that BlueNile.com is good, but I haven't bought from them before.
VGSailor
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by VGSailor »

I have bought my engagement and wedding rings from bluenile. I'm not an expert on diamonds, etc. but I can vouch that they are are legitimate company. For the engagement ring, we got all the certified documentation along with it.

They sometimes have a 10% discount promotion so you might want to wait for that.
Sulvar
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Sulvar »

I wouldn't buy this type of item online, even more so since you admit that you know nothing about diamonds. I think your best bet is to go to the place in your city that sells loose stones--every city seems to have a few of these places. They will bring out all sorts of diamonds for you to look at in various sizes and with various color grades and inclusions. By looking at the stones you will begin to get an idea of what you think is important. For example, a 1.5 carat diamond with color grade G might be $1,500 more than one with color grade H. Is it worth spending $1,500 more for this? Who knows? If you look at the two stones in person, though, you can at least judge whether you can tell the difference between them.

Once you have selected your stone, then you can select your setting and they will set it for you.
mall0c
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by mall0c »

bluenile.com
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NateH
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by NateH »

I've used Brilliance.com, but watch out for the EGL certs, they are not the same as GIA. "pad" the EGL cert by at least two color and one clarity rank and you'll be close to the same.
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staythecourse
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by staythecourse »

mike_slc wrote:bluenile.com
I'll second that. I bought my wife's diamond from blue nile and then the band from Jared's (Jared's put it together). I had it appraised a month later and it was already worth more then I spent on the two components. Jared's were raving about the quality of the diamond telling me it was a lot better then theirs.

Good luck.
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mhc
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by mhc »

mike_slc wrote:bluenile.com
+1

It has been a few years since I bought anything from them, but I have been pleased with them. I think the interface for choosing diamonds is great. I bought my wife's wedding diamond there and later on diamond earrings and a diamond necklace. Hopefully, I'm done now.
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jimmyrules712
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by jimmyrules712 »

I looked into bluenile but ended up using brilliance (got a better price there for a similar ring). Both companies are reputable and safe to use.
wilked
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by wilked »

There is a similar website to the ones above, has the word gold in it (something like oldgold, but not quite) that is very good.

There is a chart that exists out there that jewelers use, kind of like a Kellys Blue Book for diamond weights, cuts, clarity, etc. Get your hands on it. Use that as a good gauge to tell if anyone is ripping you off. Chances are there is someone local to you that can match the online prices. Where are you located?
DTSC
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by DTSC »

try Costco (really!)
hlfo718
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by hlfo718 »

Definitely try bluenile and costco.
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matjen
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by matjen »

Purchasing a diamond is much like purchasing a mutual fund. The equivalent of a low cost index fund is usually leveraging the internet. I used http://www.whiteflash.com/ and they were wonderful. Just make sure you have/use a site that gives access to all the certificate information. Cut is VERY important. http://www.pricescope.com is a great resource.

Here is a great tool for weeding out bad cuts. It's like a mortgage calculator. You just input your dimensions and it spits out a rating. So, for instance, I went to my brother's jeweler and found a diamond with the same 4 C stats as mine but for a few thousand less. Once they finally coughed up the certificate I ran it through this tool and it failed miserably. My brother was skeptical about all this until we compared my wife's ring to his wife's. Big difference in sparkle. http://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca
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wilked
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by wilked »

wilked wrote:There is a similar website to the ones above, has the word gold in it (something like oldgold, but not quite) that is very good.

There is a chart that exists out there that jewelers use, kind of like a Kellys Blue Book for diamond weights, cuts, clarity, etc. Get your hands on it. Use that as a good gauge to tell if anyone is ripping you off. Chances are there is someone local to you that can match the online prices. Where are you located?
Here's that pricing link

http://www.pricescope.com/diamond-prices

Looking quickly, $20K should get you a nice 2 carat round stone

Edit to add, here's a photo to give you an idea of what a 2 ct engagement ring (round) roughly looks like
http://www.ringenvy.com/files/imagecach ... s/RING.jpg
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XtremeSki2001
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by XtremeSki2001 »

I have issues with Bluenile as they won't provide the customer with the Ideal Scope/ASET images. These images are usually important if one is trying to gauge the brilliance/cut of a diamond.

I used Brian Gavin http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/. He's well known in the diamond industry and his prices are very good. I had my purchase independently reviewed by a third-party and everything checked out and it appraised for just above what I paid. DW and I are very happy with the purchase and also bought our wedding bands from Brian Gavin.

I'm of the mindset that a "good" diamond should be D through F in color and IF through VS1 in clarity. Also important, is how the light reflects off the diamond (e.g., Brilliance), which can be determined through ASET / Ideal Scope images (think about "Hearts & Arrows", which is what a round diamond looks like in one of these images).

Here's an example of a nice rock in your price range. I don't think ~1.25 karats is a "big" diamond, but it's very high quality. You won't get a 2 karat quality diamond for $20k.

http://www.briangavindiamonds.com/diamo ... 0402250002

Good luck.
wilked wrote:There is a similar website to the ones above, has the word gold in it (something like oldgold, but not quite) that is very good.

There is a chart that exists out there that jewelers use, kind of like a Kellys Blue Book for diamond weights, cuts, clarity, etc. Get your hands on it. Use that as a good gauge to tell if anyone is ripping you off. Chances are there is someone local to you that can match the online prices. Where are you located?
Yes, Good Old Gold http://www.goodoldgold.com/. I've heard good reviews about GOG, but went with Brian Gavin as his prices were better and you can speak with him if you'd like.
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wilked
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by wilked »

We might disagree a bit XtremeSki...

Personally, I think anything above 'eye-clean' is a waste of money for diamonds. Why would you pay more to remove imperfections that are only seen under a loupe? You can definitely get eye clean in SI1. I do agree that brilliance is worth paying for, and the earlier link which to a tool that grades the brilliance based upon dimensions makes a lot of sense.

Note the title of this thread. The OP, and his wife, will not care if this ring is VS1 or VS2, they want a big ring that sparkles with no obvious imperfections.
sport
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by sport »

Another vote for Costco. In my experience, they limit their profit margins and do their best to offer good value. This applies to everything they sell. I would at least look there before I made a decision.

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DTSC
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by DTSC »

In my experience dealing with buying diamonds and talking with friends/family about the process, it seems that men worry about (to the point of obsession) the cut and clarity and all the "C's". Women are generally just concerned about the size. After all, unless it's a yellow J color stone with an inclusion visible to the naked eye, no one is going to pull a jeweler's loupe out and examine your diamond (esp if she is wearing it as a pendant!). However, everyone can see a 9 mm stone when you walk into the room. It's really one of those cases in which size does matter!
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danwhite77
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by danwhite77 »

I used Blue Nile when I bought my wife's engagement ring in 2003. Since then, I've bought multiple pieces of jewelry from them as gifts for her. I very much enjoy the no-haggle and (at least outwardly and on a basis relative to other jewelers) transparent information on their website. When I look to buy additional jewelry in the future, I'll use them again.
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XtremeSki2001
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by XtremeSki2001 »

wilked wrote:We might disagree a bit XtremeSki...

Personally, I think anything above 'eye-clean' is a waste of money for diamonds. Why would you pay more to remove imperfections that are only seen under a loupe? You can definitely get eye clean in SI1. I do agree that brilliance is worth paying for, and the earlier link which to a tool that grades the brilliance based upon dimensions makes a lot of sense.

Note the title of this thread. The OP, and his wife, will not care if this ring is VS1 or VS2, they want a big ring that sparkles with no obvious imperfections.
No disagreement here - each person has their own likes and dislikes.
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jdilla1107
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by jdilla1107 »

Consider man made real diamonds:

1) Don't have to deal with the thought of wearing a blood diamond.
2) The only way anyone knows they are man made is because under a microscope they are too perfect to have been geologically made.
3) Massively cheaper.

Popular one:

http://www.diamondnexus.com/
new2bogle
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by new2bogle »

jdilla1107 wrote:Consider man made real diamonds:

1) Don't have to deal with the thought of wearing a blood diamond.
2) The only way anyone knows they are man made is because under a microscope they are too perfect to have been geologically made.
3) Massively cheaper.

Popular one:

http://www.diamondnexus.com/
I'll second this, however, I was too dumb to know about this when I bought my wife's diamond.

I also would NOT buy online. My wife's diamond is about 1.85 carat and purchased from an independent jeweller, not a mall based location. By looking at the specs you would think the diamond was a dud because of an inclusion in it, however, that inclusion is completely hiddent by the ring mount, making the diamond cheap (has a good sized inclusion) but fabulous to look at since it was cut well, has good color grade and inclusion can't be seen once set.
ProfessorX
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by ProfessorX »

I used blue nile for my wife's engagement ring: http://www.bluenile.com/

They have a 30 day no questions asked return policy (at least they used to and probably still do). So it is hard to make a mistake. Their prices are tough to beat too, at least they were four years ago.

The ring appraised for over 50% more than I paid, and it is apparently worth even more now (four years later). In the end I couldn't justify spending the extra big bucks just for a "little blue box" or to fatten the coffers of some local jeweler.
CanuckExpats
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by CanuckExpats »

If you have your heart set on a diamond, this might not matter, but you may want to consider Moissanite. In fact, if you want a really big stone, Moissanite is the way to go, as in some applications where it has replaced diamonds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_anvil_cell)
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danwhite77
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by danwhite77 »

ProfessorX wrote:The ring appraised for over 50% more than I paid, and it is apparently worth even more now (four years later). In the end I couldn't justify spending the extra big bucks just for a "little blue box" or to fatten the coffers of some local jeweler.
I would just add that I believe this whole notion of diamonds appraising for more than what you paid is a scam (which I fell for, way back when). Basically, the insurance companies get paid by writing insurance, so they want the appraisal amount to be as high as possible to maximize the premiums charged (and thus their float available for investment). So, my guess is the whole appraisal thing is basically a sham designed to get you to pay more for insurance on your ring (like I did).

Yes, they could be inviting fraud (and thus losses on policies) but the vast majority of people are not fraudsters and are buying an engagement ring of which they will take extraordinary care.

Just my $.02. If I had it to do over again, frankly I would have insured for the amount that I paid (i.e., just insure at replacement value).
"While some mutual fund founders chose to make billions, he chose to make a difference." - Dedication to Jack Bogle in 'The Bogleheads' Guide to Investing'.
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Watty
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Watty »

cestan wrote:many years ago i gave my wife a diamond engagement ring. at the time it was all i could afford. now we are coming up on our big anniversary next year and while she is okay with the first ring i know she would like a bigger diamond ring and i want to get it for her. she deserves it. with a lot of luck and the help of God we are in a good financial position and can afford it. i am looking in the 10000 to 20000$ price range. any suggestions how to do this on line and with who. i have never had luck at zales or jarrods or any brick and morter store. they just confuse me and i walk out. since this is a significant amount of money, i am not sure who to trust on line. thanks for all your help.

Have you actually talked this over with her?


I'm sure my wife would rather spend the money on something like of a fantastic vacation.
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hand
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by hand »

ProfessorX wrote:I used blue nile for my wife's engagement ring: http://www.bluenile.com/

They have a 30 day no questions asked return policy (at least they used to and probably still do). So it is hard to make a mistake. Their prices are tough to beat too, at least they were four years ago.

The ring appraised for over 50% more than I paid, and it is apparently worth even more now (four years later). In the end I couldn't justify spending the extra big bucks just for a "little blue box" or to fatten the coffers of some local jeweler.
Be aware that while cost to purchase the same diamond today vs. several years ago may have increased, the resale market for diamonds is terrible - I would be shocked if you sold today and you got more than 50% of what you originally paid.
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soaring
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by soaring »

mike_slc wrote:bluenile.com
+100

I had an excellent experience about a year ago. First we changed the ring but kept the same diamond all at their expense. Then we sent the second back to resize and we only paid shipping one way and no cost for the resize. Google for reviews about bluenile and read about them.

Spend some time reading their site and others about diamonds and learn what you are buying so you get what is important to you.
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SnapShots
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by SnapShots »

ditto yes! on bluenile resold the ring on eBay after a divorce and came out very well.
Last edited by SnapShots on Tue Aug 21, 2012 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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64415
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by 64415 »

I used goodoldgold 8 years ago and was happy with the experience. They have a very good website that does a good job of educating the customer. In particular there was a nice formula that a Russian mathematician/physicist created that quantifies the iridescence and scintillation a diamond will create. You plug in the cut angles, table dimensions etc and the formula quantifies the "sparkle" of the diamond. I purchased very nice stud earrings for my
wife after extensive research on the goodoldgold website.

If you don't want to spend hours researching diamonds, go into Costco and buy what looks attractive to your wife. Every diamond you buy at Costco will be a fair deal.
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mike143
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by mike143 »

VGSailor wrote:I have bought my engagement and wedding rings from bluenile. I'm not an expert on diamonds, etc. but I can vouch that they are are legitimate company. For the engagement ring, we got all the certified documentation along with it.

They sometimes have a 10% discount promotion so you might want to wait for that.
+1 on all of the above. Good info on diamond shopping: http://www.truthaboutdiamonds.com
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market timer
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by market timer »

My suggestion is to let your wife pick the ring. For our engagement ring, I gave my fiancee x dollars. She went through a broker her family had worked with previously and ended up spending 0.62x on the ring and the remaining amount on earrings. She also cared primarily about size, and gave up some color to get a bigger diamond.
epilnk
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by epilnk »

I don't want to threadjack, but does anyone have recommendations for a place to shop for settings? I have a largish stone I haven't worn for many years because it's awkward, but I might if I got it reset in something a little more comfortable.
ergray3
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by ergray3 »

bluenile.com! bought my now wife's engagement ring from there, I know it's not a measure of true value, but for an 11k ring two independent insurance appraisals were ~18k.
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XtremeSki2001
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by XtremeSki2001 »

danwhite77 wrote:
ProfessorX wrote:The ring appraised for over 50% more than I paid, and it is apparently worth even more now (four years later). In the end I couldn't justify spending the extra big bucks just for a "little blue box" or to fatten the coffers of some local jeweler.
I would just add that I believe this whole notion of diamonds appraising for more than what you paid is a scam (which I fell for, way back when). Basically, the insurance companies get paid by writing insurance, so they want the appraisal amount to be as high as possible to maximize the premiums charged (and thus their float available for investment). So, my guess is the whole appraisal thing is basically a sham designed to get you to pay more for insurance on your ring (like I did).

Yes, they could be inviting fraud (and thus losses on policies) but the vast majority of people are not fraudsters and are buying an engagement ring of which they will take extraordinary care.

Just my $.02. If I had it to do over again, frankly I would have insured for the amount that I paid (i.e., just insure at replacement value).
IMHO, one should get their diamond appraised by an independent party. Cost me ~$100, but worth it - plus they provide interesting information about the diamond.
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Ping Pong
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Ping Pong »

I'm surprised appraisals were mentioned so many times in this thread. Jewelry will always appraise more than you paid. When the appraiser tells you that you got an awesome deal, offer to sell it to him for 50%, and he won't buy it. It's all a scam.
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Jerilynn
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Jerilynn »

Ping Pong wrote:I'm surprised appraisals were mentioned so many times in this thread. Jewelry will always appraise more than you paid. When the appraiser tells you that you got an awesome deal, offer to sell it to him for 50%, and he won't buy it. It's all a scam.
I'm surprised that insurance companies allow this. If you have an item that is lost or stolen, doesn't the ins company pay you the appraised value?
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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

Jerilynn wrote:
Ping Pong wrote:I'm surprised appraisals were mentioned so many times in this thread. Jewelry will always appraise more than you paid. When the appraiser tells you that you got an awesome deal, offer to sell it to him for 50%, and he won't buy it. It's all a scam.
I'm surprised that insurance companies allow this. If you have an item that is lost or stolen, doesn't the ins company pay you the appraised value?
I purchased my wife's ring at a very reputable and well known jeweler. Based on reputation and the actual receipt, the insurance company accepted the retail price as the "insured" value. I was told at the time of purchasing the insurance, that had the purchase been from any other shop, the insurance company would require in addition to the GIA certification two other independent appraisals and those appraisals had to come from a select list of companies they used to assess actual worth. Holy mackarels! Then you wonder how insurance companies stay in business.
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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

ergray3 wrote:bluenile.com! bought my now wife's engagement ring from there, I know it's not a measure of true value, but for an 11k ring two independent insurance appraisals were ~18k.
Really? Call them up and offer to sell it to them for a cheap price of $15K - betcha they don't take it.
Only a fool would pass up a grand bargain, or perhaps it is not the bargain you think it is.
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random user 320
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by random user 320 »

Here's something I've often wondered about: when you have a diamond ring worth more than $10K and you travel internationally, do you have to declare it as a cash equivalent? Many countries require that you declare, when crossing the border, any cash or cash equivalents worth over $10K. Surely diamonds count as a cash equivalent for that purpose?
DoWahDaddy
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by DoWahDaddy »

A wedding ring has meaning. It's a memory, it's a leap of faith, a culmination of your journey together up until then, and then from then on. It'll always represent your history, and your foundation for all that has followed.

Another ring is just jewelry.

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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

random user 320 wrote:Here's something I've often wondered about: when you have a diamond ring worth more than $10K and you travel internationally, do you have to declare it as a cash equivalent? Many countries require that you declare, when crossing the border, any cash or cash equivalents worth over $10K. Surely diamonds count as a cash equivalent for that purpose?
Cash equivalent - universally (key word) accepted, legal and known constant value of item that can be easily exchanged into cash.

Do you think for a minute that Appraiser 1's value of $15K is worth $15K if you brought it to a bank to receive cash for? The bank will a)not accept a diamond for cash - it is a commodity and could be illegal (blood diamonds?) and b)is not universally and legally accepted with a known and constant value, if it were, it would not only be accepted by a bank, but by grocery stores, clothing stores, electronics stores, etc. Appraiser 1's value is an opinion, not an accepted truth or fact, the value of stone changes constantly. A $10 traveler's check is worth exactly $10.

Cash equivalent - bearer bonds denominated in a universally recognized and accepted currency, travelers checks, legal tender printed by a known government entity in an OECD country or not on an OFAC list, legal tender coins, negotiable bank instruments or electronic cash wire/money transfer, money order (postal or bank issued - falls under negotiable bank instruments).
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random user 320
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by random user 320 »

Thanks, GRT2B, I suppose you're right. I'm just curious if the customs officials accept that rationale.
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MIARay
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by MIARay »

Hi Cestan,

My first choice is Moissanite: http://www.moissanite.com/ or http://www.moissaniteco.com/. The second company listed now has the "Amora" moissanite stone which is a bit more colorless in nature and slightly less flawed. An "Amora" moissanite stone would be my preference at this time.

Second choice is lab created diamonds: http://gemesis.com/. This is the company that makes these lab created diamonds. You can also purchase them here: http://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-diamonds-search/.

Do not confuse these with "diamond stimulants". Lab created diamonds only go up to around 1.3 carats in weight depending on the cut at the present time and are usually purchased with an IGI certification. Lab stimulants (cubic zirconia stones that undergo an additional chemical process) you will find all the way up to 4 or 5 carats. Here is a good quick breakdown on the matter: http://www.brilliantearth.com/lab-created-diamonds/.

Third choice is conflict free diamonds: http://www.brilliantearth.com/loose-diamonds/search/. This company is U.S. based and they make sure to source their diamonds from conflict free zones. You can pick if you want the stone from Canada, Russia, Botswana or another conflict free diamond zone and all diamonds carry an IGI or GIA certification. They also use recycled gold and platinum in their settings to minimize the environmental impact.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Ray
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Re: big diamond ring

Post by BogleBrit »

For that sort of money and gesture to your wife are you really worried about saving a few dollars ? I would go to Tiffany and Cartier to see what they offer first. There are obviously cheaper options but the quality is superb and you can trust what you are getting and the experience for me would be part of the memory. I think Tiffany has a Legacy series or something that would be in the range you are looking to pay. It may be a little smaller in size for the same money than buying it elsewhere but can anyone really tell between a 1.4 and a 1.7 carat size ? The jewelry department at a high end store like Nieman Marcus would also be a good option. I have no interest in any of these companies, just an opinion of what I would do.
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pjstack
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Location: Harbor City, CA

Re: big diamond ring

Post by pjstack »

Watty wrote:
Have you actually talked this over with her?

I'm sure my wife would rather spend the money on something like of a fantastic vacation.
+1 ! Who knows, she might even prefer $20,000 in cash!

(I'm not really kidding. Interesting experiment. Give her 20 grand and see if she buys a ring with it.)
pjstack
CanuckExpats
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Feb 11, 2012 4:10 pm

Re: big diamond ring

Post by CanuckExpats »

pjstack wrote:
Watty wrote:
Have you actually talked this over with her?

I'm sure my wife would rather spend the money on something like of a fantastic vacation.
+1 ! Who knows, she might even prefer $20,000 in cash!

(I'm not really kidding. Interesting experiment. Give her 20 grand and see if she buys a ring with it.)
These "experiments" have already been done. In general gift giving is economically inefficient. That is, on average the recipient of a gift values the item at less that the giver bought it for:
http://www.slate.com/articles/business/ ... ingle.html
jpkuva
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 9:39 am

Re: big diamond ring

Post by jpkuva »

Make SURE you know exactly what she wants (size, style, setting, etc.) If I had to do over again I would have involved my wife in the purchase, or at the very least advise me on exactly what she wanted. I purchased a ring I thought was beautiful, she's never been wild about. Live and learn. :oops:
jdilla1107
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Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2012 8:31 pm

Re: big diamond ring

Post by jdilla1107 »

Jerilynn wrote:
Ping Pong wrote:I'm surprised appraisals were mentioned so many times in this thread. Jewelry will always appraise more than you paid. When the appraiser tells you that you got an awesome deal, offer to sell it to him for 50%, and he won't buy it. It's all a scam.
I'm surprised that insurance companies allow this. If you have an item that is lost or stolen, doesn't the ins company pay you the appraised value?
Most policies I have seen pay to simply replace it at a qualified jewelry store. This means your 10k policy will be used to buy another diamond marked up 70-90%. (Which means on a 10k policy the insurance company is really only paying about 1k.)
Cash
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Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 9:52 am

Re: big diamond ring

Post by Cash »

matjen wrote:Purchasing a diamond is much like purchasing a mutual fund. The equivalent of a low cost index fund is usually leveraging the internet. I used http://www.whiteflash.com/ and they were wonderful. Just make sure you have/use a site that gives access to all the certificate information. Cut is VERY important. http://www.pricescope.com is a great resource.

Here is a great tool for weeding out bad cuts. It's like a mortgage calculator. You just input your dimensions and it spits out a rating. So, for instance, I went to my brother's jeweler and found a diamond with the same 4 C stats as mine but for a few thousand less. Once they finally coughed up the certificate I ran it through this tool and it failed miserably. My brother was skeptical about all this until we compared my wife's ring to his wife's. Big difference in sparkle. http://www.pricescope.com/tools/hca
+1 to both PriceScope and White Flash (although I think they've changed ownership since I bought my wife's engagement and wedding rings a few years ago).
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